


Feri Occidens

by madsj



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Wild West AU, lesbian vampire cowgirl outlaw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-04-27 12:59:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5049541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madsj/pseuds/madsj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the 1884 Arizona, Carmilla arrives in town and finds herself falling in love with a local showgirl.  Something her mother wouldn't approve of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She didn't mind the warmth. It was the sun she could deal without, but the warm, dry air was nice. It was different from what she was used to. If she didn't get out of the sun soon, though, she was afraid she would pass out.

The air hit her face and nearly blew off her hat, but she fixed it and held on tighter to the reins. Her black horse's hooves struck the ground and kicked up dust that marked the trail behind her, but no one bothered to follow her. Good.

About a mile away, a small town grew larger on the horizon. She kicked her spurs into the horse and guided it in that direction.

When she hopped off of the horse, she adjusted her hat again, making sure the shadow it cast covered her face. She tied the reins to a post by a bank and, tucking the small pouch under her shirt, looked around the town. It wasn't a ghost town, but it wasn't bustling either. The streets were empty, yet the buildings seemed newer. Across the street, four horses were tied to a post by a saloon. A hotel with a clean wooden porch stood next to the saloon. Next to that, a jail. She looked up, blocking herself from the sun with her hand, and saw a large barrel filled with water. On it was the name of the town printed in fading letters. Dust swirled around the barrel, so she covered her mouth and nose with the bandana across her neck.

Even though the bank was closest, that wasn't the place she wanted to go. The pouch under her shirt felt a little heavier as she trudged over to the saloon, heaving with every step. The music from the saloon grew louder the closer she got, and it continued as she pushed open the door. As soon as the artificial lighting hit her face, she sighed in relief and sauntered over to the table farthest from the door.

"Hey there, sweetheart. You here to take my order?" One of the two men said with a light laugh in his voice. She glared at him and looked at the other man.

"I'm sure your mother would love to hear that you were here, Will."

"She'd love to hear that you're here too, dear sister."

"She chooses not to associate with me. Who's this?" She signalled to the man sitting across the table, who waved. His face was red with the heat of the day and the booze in his glass.

"I'm Kirsch. Nice to meet you, beautiful."

"Who's this?" She repeated.

"Kirsch works at the bank here. He's good company." Will said.

"So you know most people here?" She asked Kirsch.

"Sure do."

"Who's that on the stage?" She pointed to the short woman who was singing and dancing to the lilting piano music.

“That’d be Laura Hollis. Sings here." The curls in her long hair bounced as she moved, and her eyes glimmered in the reflection of the spotlight.

"Doesn't pay a lot, does it?" Will asked. Kirsch shook his head.

"Next to nothing. I've offered help, but she's hell-bent on supporting herself. Even lives upstairs to save some of the money she earns." He laughed under his breath. "I gotta hand it to her, though. She's doing better than I'd be if my daddy got rid of me that early." She raised an eyebrow and moved her black curls out of her eyes. "Her daddy caught her with a woman. Wasn't pleased and left her with nothing but the clothes on her back to fend for herself. And I've tried to help support her or convince him to help out, but she doesn't want anything to do with me."

She smiled. For a moment, they made eye contact, but Laura quickly looked away to finish her song.

Another song began and ended, and she slowly stood up and made her way through the crowd of tables and patrons to the stage.

"Good show there." She said, making Laura jump.

"Sorry -- uh -- you startled me there."

"It's all good." She smiled. 

“You did a good job up there.” She raised her eyebrows a little bit and smirked.

“Thanks… stranger.”

“Can I tip you?”

“I can’t accept tips. Part of my job.”

“What about if I...” She tried to slide money onto the piano behind Laura, but Laura slapped her hand away.

“If my boss sees that, he will fire me. Just… no.”

“Alright.” She held her hands up in defeat. “Sorry. No harm done.”

“I hope not.” She looked around the room for a door or some sort of escape. “I, uh, I have to get ready for my next show. Sorry.”

"See you around, then."

"Yeah whatever, whatever-your-name-is."

"Carmilla."


	2. Chapter 2

"Please sir. Don't do this. Please don't." Laura's hands were clasped together so tight that her knuckles were white. The man on the other side of the desk smoked a cigar with his right hand and took a sip of the whiskey in his glass with his other hand.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. There ain't much I can do."

"There's not much I can do, either." She ran her hands through her hair. "I can barely afford what you make me pay right now. If you raise the price on that room..."

"Laura, I'm sorry. But you ain't bringin' in what you used to. I'm losin' money keepin' you, especially since I seen you takin’ tips. It's either I raise the price or I let you go. I don't wanna do that." He stood up and went around the desk and twisted her hair in his left hand. "I've taken a shinin' to you."

"I can't pay for it." She shook her head and shook off his hand. He raised an eyebrow and sat back at his desk, taking another drink out of his glass.

"Other offer still stands."

She clenched her jaw. "I'll get back to you." He took a puff of his cigar as she spun on her heel and left the room, nearly running into Carmilla on her way out.

"Hey, cutie." She moved the toothpick between her teeth and crossed her arms. Laura pushed her aside and stormed towards the door.

"Don't call me that."

"Hey." Carmilla took her shoulder and turned her around. Laura averted her eyes, looking at the bar, the lights hanging from the ceiling, the next girl who sang on stage and winked at three different men, not counting her husband who didn't know she was here. "I'm sorry about what's going on."

"I told you already. It doesn't matter. Leave me alone." She shook her hand off of her shoulder and pushed the doors open. Carmilla wrinkled her nose and looked in the room at the man. He puffed his cigar, letting the smoke curl and float to the ceiling. She knocked on the doorframe.

"Got room for one more?" He turned around and, seeing her leaning against the doorframe, smiled and motioned for her to come closer. She closed the door behind her and sat down on his desk.

"Always. What's yer name, sweet'art?" He slid closer to her and put his non-cigar hand on her leg.

"Doesn't matter. All that matters is what..." He grinned as she untied his tie. "Could..." Unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. "Happen..." She moved her mouth closer to his neck, but instead of kissing it gently, she sunk her teeth into his skin. He started to make a noise, started to squirm, but she stuffed the tie in his mouth and held him down with her arms. He got quieter, quieter, until he stopped moving. She wiped her mouth and sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath

He had a funny aftertaste that still lasted when she went back into the saloon the next morning. It wasn't bustling anymore. Will walked in behind her and tapped her shoulder.

"What'd you do, kitten?"

"Sorry?"

"Pretending you don't know what's going on?" He walked faster so he was in front of her and stopped. She stepped to the side to walk around him, but he followed her. "I'm better than that."

"At least you think you are. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you find it weird that it's practically empty here?"

"I imagine it has to do with the fact that it's morning. Still dark out, so I've got no problem--"

"Or... the fact that the owner was killed yesterday."

"Excuse me?"

"Blood drained. Teeth marks in his neck. I know of two people that could be, and it wasn't me."

"So you're not going to ask other people at all?" She rolled her eyes. "You're not even a police officer, so what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing." She raised an eyebrow, but he put up his hands in defense. "I'm doing nothing about it, honestly. I just want to know why."

"Nah. Where's Laura?"

"Hollis?" He pointed to the room upstairs and smirked. "Careful though. Her daddy's the sheriff. He's looking for the killer."

"Yeah, yeah. Leave me alone." She walked up the stairs, avoiding the man who was coming down them. Badge, hat. Sheriff. Her father. She listened through the door that was across the hallway. Sniffling. Quiet, but whoever was just in here must have set her off. She knocked and, seeing the door was open, let herself in.

Laura, hearing someone enter the room, jerked her head around and scowled at Carmilla's face. "What are you doing here? I didn't ask you here."

"I was just making sure you were alright."

"Alright?" She scoffed. "You want to make sure I'm alright after we've spoken, what, twice?" Carmilla nodded. "I'm not. Because the owner of the saloon was killed. He was the reason I was getting paid and the reason I have a place to live. Someone killed him, and now I've got nothing." She ran her hands through her tousled hair that looked like it had had her hands stressfully run through it again and again. "And my father decided to tell me that he was just trying to protect me, kicking me out after--" She kicked the carpet. "After I fell in love."

"I had no idea." Carmilla lied.

"I fell in love." Laura wiped her nose on her hand. "I fell in love with another woman and he couldn't stand to be the man with the daughter who didn't want a man." Carmilla slowly made her way across the small room and sat down on the bed next to Laura. She put her arm around her and stroked her shoulder. Laura put her head on Carmilla's shoulder and closed her eyes, slowing down her breathing.

"What's going to happen to the building?"

"He didn't leave a will, so it's probably going to be sold to another man. Start up another business, hire different women. Leave me out of it. And I'll be out of a job, out of a home, and I'll have nothing." She sat up and smoothed the wrinkles out of her skirt and wiped her eyes. "I hope they find the man that killed him. Bring him to justice."

Carmilla nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

The music was finishing off, and she saw Will heading to Laura as she stepped offstage. He cornered her and put his hand on the wall above her shoulder. Carmilla stepped close enough so she could hear without being noticed.

"I know how to get you out of the hole you're in." He leaned closer to her ear and whispered something, then moved back, keeping his hand on the wall. "Think about it."

"I'm... I'm not interested, sir." She moved to the side and tried to slip away. "Thank you for your kindness, but I can’t− I don’t--"

"You're not really in a position to say no to this. You need money. I have money."

"I'm not desperate--"

"Listen." He grabbed her arm and dug his nails into her skin. Laura's face changed. She wasn't scowling anymore. Her eyes widened and she clenched her jaw. Will chuckled as he looked down at his hands, stained with her blood. "Sorry."

"Leave her alone, Will." Carmilla walked up and slapped his hand away. He raised an eyebrow and licked his fingers, leaving with a whistle.

"I don't know if you got the message when I said I didn't need you, but in case you haven't quite gotten that yet--"

"Don't you worry." She nodded and bit her lip. "I got it." She started to walk away, but Laura caught up to her and pulled her into a room.

"What's your deal?"

"Excuse me?"

"You show up in town, owner dies, and you come to me whenever you think it's ok because I'm desperate or sad or some..." She waved her hand in Will's direction. "Guy thinks it's ok to... whore myself out to him. Who do you think you are to me?"

"You've made it quite clear that I'm no one to you."

"Yeah. So stop acting like you are."

"I want to help you."

"Oh, wonderful." She put her hands on her hips. "So we can have another person pitying Laura Hollis, disowned but not left alone by her father?"

"Because I like you." Laura cocked her head and narrowed her eyes.

"Like, like like?"

"Yeah. Also because I don't like him." She pointed to the spot where he drew blood from her arm. "No one deserves that, sweetheart." Laura smiled. She reached out and took Carmilla's hand. It was colder than she thought it would have been, especially considering the heat of the day, but she didn't seem to mind. Carmilla brushed Laura's hair out of her puffed-up eyes and kissed her. She was cold against Laura's lips, but Laura felt warm deep in her chest. She put her other hand behind Carmilla's waist and pulled her closer.

"What was... what..." Laura pulled back and brushed her hair away. "What was that for?"

"Because I like you, sweetheart."

"Like, like like?"

"Yes, Laura. We just went over this."

"But do you like me for me? Or do you--"

Carmilla put her hand behind Laura's neck and pulled her in for another long, deep kiss. "I think that counts as a yes."


	5. Chapter 5

Carmilla crawled up from the middle of the bed to meet Laura's face. She kissed her cheek.

"That was... that was amazing."

"Do you believe me now?"

"Hmm?"

"That I like you? That I'm not just trying to bail you out?"

She giggled and twirled her fingers through Carmilla's hair. "I suppose... but you might have to try one more time. Just to be sure I believe you." Carmilla rolled her eyes but climbed back on top of her and kissed her. She moved down to her neck, to her chest, but instead of the soft kisses, Laura felt a sharp pain. Something like a needle. No... more like... teeth.

"Carm," she said, trying to push her off, "Carm, what are you doing?"

Carmilla jerked her head up. Her jaw gaped open, and blood dripped off of her teeth. She moved back, then jumped up and wrapped herself in a sheet before running out of the room.

"Carmilla?" She wrapped a cloak around her shoulders and touched the spot on her breast. When she took her finger back, it was matted with blood. Why would she be bleeding? She remembered seeing blood on Carmilla's teeth.

Did Carmilla bite her?

No, that's ridiculous, she thought, walking over to the pile of clothes that Carmilla left behind. They were beautiful, and they, they... smelled like her.

No. This was what happened with Danielle. And then her father, her father just. Just... disowned her. She wasn't going to think about her. She was just going to get rid of her clothes. Put them downstairs so if she really wanted them, she'd come and get them.

She picked up the pile and saw something fall out from under the jacket. It was a little bag and inside... inside was a small pouch. Filled with gold coins. Small ones, and none from this town, but money nonetheless. And from the looks of it, enough.


	6. Chapter 6

Carmilla hadn't gone back to the saloon for a few days after she ran out on Laura. She probably didn't want to see her after she... bit her. God, that was a stupid move. So stupid, so childish, so... immature. And poor Laura, what was she going to think of her now? An evil vampire, just wanting to sink her teeth into her victim and suck their blood. And what if she'd tell the sheriff? And what if he'd blame her for killing the old owner? And then what if he killed her?

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

But she had more to think about. Like the fact that the man behind the counter at the bank was dead in her arms with his blood dripping down her chin, while the other one looked at her with wide, white eyes, keeping his hands where she could see them. Because, in the end, she wasn't a lover. She was a killer. She was one to be feared. Not one who would fear.

"Please, ma'am..." the man said, "I have a wife."

She dropped the body she was holding and sauntered up to the man, walking around him and tracing lines up his back with her finger. "I'll give her your love. And maybe a bit of my own." When she was behind him, she rubbed his shoulders before biting into his neck. He struggled, trying to fight back, but she pushed him towards the ground and left him drained and with his eyes permanently widened and his mouth permanently open.

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

She wasn't even getting a kick out of it anymore. Not like she used to, when Mother would send her and her sister out, sometimes with Will. Maybe it was just that these weren't her usual targets. They were never... men.

Men didn't taste as good as women, she knew. That was just a fact that she was reminded of over and over again as she went to kill them.

Now that that was over and the men's bodies were lying on the ground, she stepped over them to get to the vault. This was what she was here for, no matter how much Mother told her not to. She didn't care about Mother telling her to focus on the job at hand, to focus on the marks. Because that would be stupid.

Locked. Of course. She knelt down by the one she assumed was the bank's owner (what with his fancy outfit and all) and took out his keyring. She unlocked the vault and looked inside. There was more gold than she'd know what to do with. She could run away from Mother. Stop relying on her to keep her healthy. Stop doing everything she told her. She could run away and maybe start living on her own terms for once. Independance.

"I suggest you step away from the vault, ma'am." An older moustached man stood in front of the bank's counter and trained a revolver on her. She slowly raised her hands.

"Sheriff Hollis. Good to see you."

"I'm assuming you're the one who killed these two fellas here?" She didn't speak, didn't even make a facial expression or acknowledge the bleeding corpses. "They were good men."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"What's that all over your face?" He asked, taking a step towards her. She took a step back and wiped the blood away. Her hand smeared it instead of cleaning it off. "Is that blood, Miss?"

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps you should give me a straight answer. You're at the scene of a crime covered in blood. Things ain't looking good for you, Miss."

"They never really do."

"Did you kill these men?"

“Possibly. I don’t know. Did you?” She was losing her touch negotiating. “Yeah I killed them. Whatever.” She held out her hands. “Just arrest me. Whatever you guys do here.” If it went anything like last time, he’d get near her, she’d kill him, and she’d run out and steal a horse and run to the next town. Like she always did.

He walked closer to her. “If I’m right, Miss, then it seems you’re also the one who killed Mister Vordenburg.”

“Who?”

“The owner of the saloon where my dau−” He shook his head. “The late owner of the saloon.”

She narrowed her eyes for a second and nodded. “That’s right. Forgot about him.”

“Figures, from a serial killer.”

She took a step back to widen the gap between them. “Excuse me?”

“I got a letter from the sheriff of the last town you raided.” He reached towards his holster. “This is the last town you’re gonna hit, Miss.”

Shoot. This didn’t happen last time. Instead of pulling out handcuffs, he pulled out his revolver and fired three times. She stumbled, but didn’t fall. Bullets wouldn’t kill her, but then again, she wasn’t human. She was going to have to pretend to be human, though, if she wanted to get out of here and hit another town. She fell forwards and sprawled out on the ground, trying to act as dead as possible. It must have been good enough for him because he holstered his revolver and walked out of the bank, humming. Which made him more stupid than she was. 

When his footsteps disappeared, she made sure he was out of her line of sight before gathering as much of the money in the vault as she could hold.


	7. Chapter 7

Laura didn’t know why Carmilla hadn’t shown up for days after she bit her. Maybe it made sense because she wouldn’t have wanted Laura to see her again, but she found that she missed seeing her in the crowd as she crooned in front of drunk men. She missed the stupid little smirk that made her smile back and even though things probably wouldn’t be the same between them anymore since what had happened, she missed her.

She bowed to the drunken claps that masked the shouts of the crowd and went behind the curtain and took off her headband and gloves. She took a sip from her glass of water and sat down on the stool, fanning herself.

“Laura… hey, Laura!” Laura cocked her head towards the whispering that came from around the corner.

“Carmilla?” She followed the voice and was pulled by her cold hand into the adjacent room. Carmilla gave her smirk and Laura, not knowing what to do, kissed her on the cheek. “What are you doing here? I thought that you would have left.”

“I’m sorry about what happened.”

“Why did you… why did you do that?”

“I’m sorry, Laura. I’m here to say goodbye.”

“Wait, what? You’re leaving town?”

“I have to. I− I killed someone. The sheriff thinks I’m dead so I have to leave.”

“What? When?”

“I brought you this.” She pulled a small bag out from under her cloak and handed it to Laura. Laura looked inside − money.

“What’s this for?”

“I told you I wanted to help you, and since your father − I’m sorry, the sheriff − thinks I’m dead I can’t stay and help you any more.”

“Why are you doing this? It can’t be for me. There’s no way you’re doing this for me.”

“It’s for you, Laura. It’s because of you.”

“I don’t − I don’t understand.”

“Goodbye, Laura.” Carmilla turned to walk away, but Laura grabbed her arm, spun her around, and pulled her in for a kiss. Her hands went through Carmilla's dark hair and ended up on the back of her neck, keeping her close.

“I love you, Carmilla.” She kept her forehead against Carmilla's. Her eyes started to fill with tears. “I’ll find you again. Sometime. Soon.”

"Goodbye, sweetie."

She really did care about her, she realized as she left the room. Even though this steal-kill-leave routine had become, well, routine, she fell for someone in the town. Just like she wasn't supposed to. Just like Mother had warned her against because the moment you fall for a person, you start to care about the town and then you've failed. And then you're back in the coffin where she left you for a hundred years.

But if she could take Laura. If she could take her with her and settle down somewhere and just be... the two of them in love? She'd like that. Even though she couldn't grow old herself, she could watch Laura grow old. And be in love with her. Every single day.

And even though vampires weren’t supposed to cry, she wiped away tears as she left the building from a back door.


	8. Chapter 8

It had been days since Carmilla left. And Laura missed the taste of her lips and the feeling of her hair between her fingers. And she missed her dark eyes and her dark outfits. And she missed her smile and her laugh.

And now she was gone. For real this time. Because of her goddamned father. Maybe the fact that she killed someone, but Laura blamed her goddamned father.

She wished she could have gone with her. Get out of the town where she had grown up and lost her mother and grew away from her father before he disowned her. They could get out of here and settle down somewhere and just be the two of them in love. And they could grow old together and fall in love with each other. Every single day.

But she had a job to do in the meantime. She had a distraction from her and a way to make money. Her new boss hadn't told her whether or not she could stay quite yet, but she knew that to make a good impression, she'd have to do her very best. Sing her heart out and dance better than ever.  
She curtsied to the applause and left the stage, only to run into Kirsch.

“Hey Laura,” he said.

“What do you want?”

“I just… I noticed you weren’t as excited up there as you usually are. Just last week, two weeks ago, you were doing really well. You were happy. Then just a few days ago, you−”

“Did you know Carmilla?” she asked.

“I met her. Once or twice. I think Will introduced me.”

“She was my...” she struggled to find the right word. “My friend. She left town a few days ago.”

“Oh. Hey, I’m really sorry about that. If you want to talk to anyone...”

“I’m fine.” She stood up straighter and put her hands on her hips. “I’ll be fine.”

“Alright, kid.” He patted her shoulder and left her by the piano.

Her friend. Of course she’d just say “friend” and not something more. She was more than just her friend, of course she was. She was… in love with her. There was more than just friendship there, even if Carmilla didn’t feel the same way about her because why would she care about a poor girl?

Her hand went to her waist where she had secured the small bag of money that Carmilla gave her the day she left. Carmilla gave that to her because she did care about her. And maybe it would be enough.

The next singer took the stage, and the crowd, entranced by her, didn’t notice Laura leave the building and untie a horse from the post. They didn’t hear the hooves galloping away with her on it.

She was going to find Carmilla. One way or another.


	9. Chapter 9

Usually when she left a town, Carmilla found herself forgetting the small details about the people and the buildings, but as she arrived into the next one and the next one, she couldn’t stop thinking about how Laura looked the moment she turned away. Her eyes puffed up, pleading for her to stay. Her hands trying to hold onto her even though she knew she’d have to go.

She was made weak by that girl.

The next town looked the same. The same buildings, the same sand, the same bright blue sky, and the same sun that beat down on her pale skin. She grew drowsy and almost collapsed when she stepped off of her horse, but strolled into the bank as tall as she could. The desk, the vault, the people in stiff suits, all of them looked the same.

It was better to stay unattached, she remembered. If they all looked the same and if she remained emotionally unattached to the people, it’d be easier to be done. To kill them and steal from them.

“Hello, ma’am!” One of the chipper men behind the counter beamed as she walked through the doors. She simply nodded at him to acknowledge his presence. “How can I help you today?”

“I’m new in town. Just touring around.”

“Well you’re in luck! I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’m always willing to help out someone new!”

“No thank you, sir.” She did her best to fake a sincere smile. “I find I learn better on my own.”

“If you do want a tour or help with anything, I’m usually here!”

“Thank you, sir.” She turned to leave the building, but, as she had rehearsed in hundreds of towns, stopped before her hand could touch the door. “I suppose there is something I could have your help with...”

“And what would that be, Miss?”

“Could you open the vault for a second?”

“Why, ma’am?”

“It’ll make sense in a moment. Could you please open it for me?” She faked a smile, making sure she looked cute and innocent. The man blushed and took his keyring out, going through and finding the right one. He turned the key in the lock and opened the vault.

“Is that all, Miss?” He turned around to see her standing right behind him, baring her fangs.

“That should be all, thank you.” She covered his mouth and bit into his neck, holding him so he couldn’t struggle out of her grip. His face drained of color as he squirmed and then stopped. She dropped him to the ground and took his keyring, just in case. She wiped her mouth off and spit on the ground. He didn't taste as sweet as some other people. Definitely not as sweet as...

"Carmilla?"

Laura. Not as sweet as Laura.

She turned around and saw Laura standing in the doorway. Her jaw was gaping.

"Carmilla... what did you do?"

"I can explain, Laura."

"You... you killed him."

She looked down at him. "Yeah. Yeah, I killed him."

"Those men from the bank in my town? Our town? Did you kill them too?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"What about my old boss?"

She nodded again. "Yeah, I killed him too."

"Why? Why'd you kill them?"

"It's out of my control, Laura."

"What about the night that we were together?" She asked. "Were you trying to kill me?"

"I was supposed to, but I... I didn't want to. I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because--"

"Well, well, well." A tall man appeared behind Laura, and he pushed her aside. "If it isn't Carmilla. I thought you were dead."

"Hello, Mr. Hollis."

"Father? What are you doing here?"

“I thought that it was suspicious that she wasn’t in the bank where I thought I killed her,” he said, pulling out his gun. “And I looked at the bodies of the men you killed − all with bite marks in their neck. So I read up on you.”

“And?”

“Is the name Mircalla familiar?”

Carmilla nodded.

“And Millarca?”

Carmilla nodded.

“That’s what I thought.”

“What are you talking about, Father?”

“Carmilla is a vampire. And bullets don’t kill a vampire.” He set his gun down on the counter and, out of his other holster, he pulled a wooden stake. “But this might.”

“Father, don’t! Please−”

Carmilla stopped his hand from getting too close to her chest. He was strong, trying to push the stake closer, but she pushed back. “I won’t let you kill me.”

“What will this do?” He pulled a single clove of garlic out of his vest. Carmilla gagged. He took out water -- holy water -- and threw it on her. She fell to the floor. “That’s more like it.” He stepped on her neck and stepped off again, leaving an imprint from the sole of his boot burned into her − a cross. “Does that hurt, Carmilla?”

She said nothing.

“Father! Please stop!”

“It’s for your own good, Laura,” he said without flinching. “She’ll be one less person you need to worry about killing you.”

“I’m not worried about that. I love her.”

His nostrils flared and he slapped her face with the back of his hand. She held her hand against the stinging pain, hoping that it would help it go away.

“You can’t love her. I will not let you.”

“It’s not up to you.” She moved closer to the counter. Closer to where Carmilla still lay on the ground.

"I can still stop it though." He knelt down next to Carmilla and held the stake against her chest, keeping it steady with one hand while his other hand was on top of it, ready to kill. "I can end her life, and you won't be able to love her then."

"You wouldn't dare." Carmilla said. She bared her fangs and growled at him. It was weak, and he laughed at her.

"Oh, I would." He lifted his arm to ready the stake, but heard a click behind him. He turned around and saw Laura holding the revolver he left on the counter. "Your own father?"

"You're not my father. You said it yourself."

"No daughter of mine is going to fall in love with a woman." He stood up and reached for the gun, but she kept it trained on his chest. He held his hands up.

"Drop the stake." He kept it in his hands. "Drop it." She waved the gun to remind him who was in control. He dropped the stake.

"Darling. Please, let go of the gun. This is all... a misunderstanding of sorts. Just give it to me and we can--" He reached forward but she yanked it back.

"Stay away from me, and stay away from her."

"I can't do that." He stepped back, closer to Carmilla, who was still on the ground. "If I let her out, she'll keep killing. She'll break your heart. You know that."

"She won't. She's better than that."

"Just... please... put down the gun." He took another step back.

"No."

He took another step back. Laura kept the gun on him, but she wasn't ready for when he spun around and went to plunge the stake into Carmilla's chest. Laura fired, hitting him in the lower back. He fell, the stake still in his hand. She ran to Carmilla's side. 

The stake broke through her flesh, but it didn't go through her ribs. His hand still had a weak hold on it, but his fingers slipped away.

"Carmilla? Carmilla are you O.K?"

"Yeah." Her eyes were closed, and she laughed with a long exhale. "Yeah. I'm good now, cupcake."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End.

They had been holed up in the building next to the bank for three days. The police had come and gone, taking the dead banker and Laura's dad. No one had seen either of the women enter or leave the bank, the building, or even the town. As far as everyone was concerned, it was a robbery gone wrong, and the killer just got away. Which wasn't wrong.

Carmilla was asleep, but she woke up to the sound of Laura crying next to her.

"What's wrong, cupcake?"

"I killed him. I killed my father."

"And he was going to kill me. Thank you."

"He's all I have left. I have no mother, no siblings, and now no father."

Carmilla kissed her forehead. "You have me. You have me, and I will always be here for you. For as long as we both shall live."

"Which is you for forever and me for, maybe 30 more years. Maybe less."

"And for as long as we both shall live, it will be the two of us." She kissed her fingertips. "Just you and me in love."

Laura laughed and moved closer to her. "I'm glad you're ok." She kissed her lips, letting Carmilla wrap her hands behind her neck to keep her as close as possible. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled and kissed her again, moving from her lips to her neck.

She bit her neck.

"Forever."


End file.
